10.
The door to the Guild Hall was slammed opened just as the morning sun had properly rose over the horizon.
"I...I have a request to make." Goblin Slayer said, breathing heavily.
He had run all night to get back to the keep in time and had double timed it once there in order to reach the Guild as fast as possible.
"Yeah. We saw the smoke signal. Let me guess, it's because of the coming horde?" Spearman said from his table as the whole room of high, to middle, to lower ranking adventurers watched the proceedings before them.
"N-Not a goblin horde. This...this had so many scout tracks that this is several goblin hordes gathered. This is a goblin army and it's lead by a Warboss. Goblins have champions and lords as Platinum rankers to them, this one is a combination of the two and is strong enough to have dozens of each under his command. Also, also by the size of the horde this could be worse than a goblin army." He replied as the shocked reactions and whispers began.
"B-bigger than Platinum!"
"Goblin army!"
"Then you are saying it is big enough to be a danger to this town?" Spearman asked and gripped his spear tightly.
"No. This horde is over 1.000 strong at the very least, however this town has a big enough garrison that it could face 10.000 goblins in the field and the walls are strong enough that 5 times that would be needed for a siege and at least 100.000 to storm it. This army is not big enough to threaten the town, but it is big enough to threaten Slayer Keep."
"So you I am guessing your request is for aid in defending the Keep?" Spearman asked with the air of someone who knew the answer before the question was even spoken.
"No. My request is that as many Silver rankers as possible go to Slayer Keep and deliver this message: 'The Goblin Horde is coming from the East.'"
This surprised the gathered adventurers.
"But Slayer Keep is west of here. So what purpose would this message have?" Spearman asked.
"It would trick the Slayer Army into abandoning the Keep and withdrawing to the Town for safety." Goblin Slayer answered them.
A ripple of shock and a flurry of words came after that.
"Why would you need to trick them?" Heavy Warrior asked in apprehension.
At that Goblin Slayer told them of what happened the day after they returned from destroying that big horde.
XXXCXxxxxxcccXxxxxxxx
"This signal will be used if there is a horde to big for us to handle, when that happens the Slayer Army will withdraw to the town, kill the horde there from atop its high walls and then return here."
"But boss, that would mean abandoning the Keep to the goblins!" Warrior said in horror and many nodded at that, to them this was their homeland now.
"We can always retake it, but we cannot bring the dead back. If a horde does come here that is to big for us, then the Slayer Army must withdraw."
This sent a murmur around the gathered crowd of Slayers, they were about 150 adventurers now, along with many that came and went.
"We cannot do that." the voice of Cow Girl said, and like a queen with her subjects, all were silenced as she spoke.
"Why?" GS asked.
"Because you said 'the Slayer Army' would withdraw and now 'we will withdraw'. Which means if it comes to that then you will stay behind when the goblin horde comes." she said and this silenced the gathered crowd.
And Goblin Slayer was the most silent of them all.
"Just as I thought, you'll stay behind, make noise to lure them inside the keep and then burn it down with you and the horde inside it." Cow Girl added, and once more Goblin Slayer was silent, all he could do was clench his fists in ragge.
"You always become silent like this when you can't deny something."
"One adventurer dies but a horde is crippled beyond recovery and many adventurers live. That is a good strategy." Goblin Slayer said, trying to make them see reason.
"NO, IT'S NOT!" Noble Fighter said, all trace of aristocratic poise gone from her.
"Everyone thought that this was a joke at worst or that it would fail at best. I had my doubts when we started Slayer Keep. Then you came along and worked hardest out of all of us to restore the old fort. It made me think that with you with us it might work!" she said to the gathered crowd.
"The same thing was with the adventurers. Whenever the rookies and poorer ones came they first thing they saw in the morning was you going goblin slaying and you were also the last to return, the first one to go along with first timers and always be available to them. With you in front of us, they felt the need to follow your example so as to not shame themselves. Do you understand, they came for the free food and board, but they stayed because of you. We stayed because of you!" Warrior said added and many in the crowd nodded as well.
"It's not just that." Priestess said, this was now her time to shine.
"The food we eat and the wood and stone we used to expand the keep. We...we could not afford all of it from goblin slaying, So many of the villagers and town's people donating it to us. They didn't have coin, but they spared a bag of flour here, or some extra meat there, a box of nails, an old tool set, some extra wood that they cut, a few bricks that they sharpened. They did it because this place gives them hope, it gives them strength, because you give them hope! When they heard that Goblin Slayer, the only adventurer that kept them safe was gathering an army, they all jumped to help them. They jumped to help you!"
"That's right!"
"Don't do it tonno!"
"We will not abandon you to those animals boss!"
"You will all die." Goblin Slayer said, cutting them off.
"The horde that we faced earlier almost killed us all. And if a goblin army comes it will be at least twice as strong as that horde. If that time comes and you stay here at best one in then will survive the fight, at worst you will all die. The lucky ones will die. You all know that happens to the unlucky ones."
"So what?" Priestess said all of a sudden.
"Yeah. We are Slayers, if we die, then we die fulfilling our Slayer oath!" Warrior said all of a sudden.
"This is your home, this is also a home for me as well. Were would we go but here?" Cow Girl added.
And with that one by one they all voiced their agreement.
No one would abandon Slayer Keep.
Flashback ENDED.
"Y-you can't be serious." Heavy Warrior said all of a sudden.
This was the whole reaction of the entire hall of adventurers.
No one, not even Witch, would think that Goblin Slayer would one day be the voice of reason in any bunch.
"That is why I am issuing this request. I will pay everything, what money I have, my armor, my time, my knowledge, all I ask that you go and lye to them, so they run away from death. This is not a foe that Slayer Keep can triumph against." Goblin Slayer said and bowed down before the gathered lot.
Guild Girl quickly ran inside to talk to her supervisor.
"Oy. Let me ask you this. You are asking us to deliver a message. But we are adventurers, not errand boys, why are you not hiring us to fight for you?" Spearman asked.
"I do not have enough coin to hire enough strength for the coming goblin army." Goblin Slayer said, after raising his back, in order to reply.
To which Spearman gave a wide grin at that, now he had him!
"Did you just call us weaklings?" Spearman said and got up from his seat.
"Did you just call me, the strongest in the frontier a weakling. That new gold rank must have gone to yer head, if you got guts enough to call us silvers not strong enough to slay some measly goblins!" Spearman said in an angry voice, filled with outrage, but the smile never left his face.
"N-no! That was not my intent!"
"Well, it sure sounded like it! You'd better apologize now"
"I understand, forgive me, it was not my intent to offend you." GS said and gave a bow.
"Not good enough pall! You made me so angry that I am gonna march to yer damn Keep and kill the whole goblin army myself. Then with that proof your gonna have to tell the whole Guild that I proved you wrong and your gonna buy me drink for my troubles!" Spearman said and immediately the rest of the room understood were this was going.
"This sounds like fun. I'm in as well, same price as my partner, you better buy me some good vine." Witch said.
"Monster slaying has become easier with no goblins around. If Slayer Keep goes it will be harder, longer and more expensive for me to do my job. I am in, same price as before!" Heavy Warrior said and got up from his seat.
"You just want a reason to help him out, since you told me he saved your home village from goblins years ago." Female Paladin said to him.
"It's for economic reasons only!" Heavy Warrior said and blushed a bit.
"Goblins sure are a pest. It be bad without the Keep to hold them in check."
"I remember how much trouble they gave me when I was starting."
"I've always been curious on how he kills them."
"Can't let him go with insulting us."
"Thought a few times of seeing the keep for myself."
"With so many going to war. It would be shameful for me as an aspiring Paladin champion to not give aide."
"I am a bit thirsty for some it taste's better when someone else is paying for it."
More and more adventurers got up until about half of them decided to go and defend slayer keep.
"Everyone! The Guild is offering a special quest!" Guild Girl said and brought out a box of quests.
"One gold coin per goblin head. 100 for every hobgoblin, 200 for every champion and 500 for the goblin lords!"
At that the half of the room that hesitated all got up and flocked to get the quests, that was a lot of money!
"We're in too. But you have to come with us on an adventure after this!" High Elf archer said, she and Dwarf Shaman and Lziard Priest stayed in the town more than the keep, but they still considered themselves part of that.
Goblin Slayer was silent at that, he was not expecting this.
"T-thank you." He said to all those gathered.
"We don't want yer thanks! We want our pay, so make sure to buy each and everyone of us a glass of vine when this is over!" Spearman said to him.
"I will."
"That's right. We ain't comrades, and we ain't friends, but we are all adventurers and today we all go on a quest!" The whole guild said and raised their weapons high in a salute.
Just then the doors to the guild burst open and trough it about 100 to 200 adventurers poured in, and all stopped when they saw Goblin Slayer.
"W-we saw the smoke...Goblin Slayer-dono. We...we left the Keep, but we remembered our time there, how you took us in when no one would, how you showed us the tricks of the game when no one gave us a second glance, we ow your our ranks and our lives to you." Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric said to him. "And we've come to repay that debt. We may no longer live in the Keep, but we are still Slayers!"
They said and the new group raised their fists in the air.
"Come and get your quests to defend Slayer Keep!" GG said, this money would greatly help the keep after it would be all over.
With that the now even bigger group marched trough the town's streets. The people watched this force march trough the streets and onto the gates.
Once there three groups of horses approached the adventurers.
"I have heard of the Slayer King's noble quest and have seen the beacons lit. As the songs say
:O! Wandering folk, the summons heed!
Come haste! Come haste! Across the waste!
The king of friend and kin has need.
Thus we have rushed here in our quest to join thy kingdom and give aide against the dark horde!" Noble Fencer said, as she along with her childhood friends :Noble Paige, Noble Swordsman, Noble Ranger, Noble Scout, Noble Wizard and Noble Shaman all knelled before Goblin Slayer.
The first one to ever do so from the get go!
For though Noble Fencer was young, and wet behind the ears, her head filled with songs, when the world was not a song.
She could tell that underneath that crummy and dirty armor, lied a great heart and a strong soul Noble Fecncer could tell from first glance that this was this was the man from the songs!
The other two groups were one group of DWARFS and one of ELVES!
Each war about 50 to 60 strong.
" Well met Orcbolg. We have seen the beacon and my people have long since fought goblin raiders , and have come to give aid with our arrows. We unfortunatly came with dwarfs, but for now we will let that slide." Elf Chieftan, leader of this group of elf merchants said and raised his hand to his forehead în a salute.
" Ho there Beard-cutter, my clan has seen the signal from our hold in the northern mountains. We have come to fight shoulder with you against our mortal foe! With the elves ta take care of the small try and us for the reall challenge no goblin shall besmear your hold!" Dwarf Thain said and beat his fist on his chest.
" I welcome you all. All that kill goblins have a place în Slayer Keep!"
With that the now even larger group marched to Slayer Keep, as they did so they passed by Cow Girl's farm.
Which war surrounded by countles villagers.
" What is going on?"
" They all saw the signal. The children, ederly and those that can't fight have all run to the town. These ones have come to defend the Keep!" Cow Girl said and the large group nodded as one, the peasants had aparently looked to get for leadership.
Goblin Slayer looked at the villagers.
They all wore padded panths and longshirts as makeshift gambesons. Wooden shoes on their feet, and similar plancks on their knees, elbows and shoulders. And a padded gambeson head and neck cover.
They had thick pots, pans or buckets over their heads .
As for weapons, everyone single one had a barrel head for a buckler tied to their left arm, an axe or a short shepperd mallet or a Hammer în their right.
On their belts there were at least two daggers, and all had leather pouches.
About half of them carried two brook handles with knives tied to their heads for javelins and the others half had peasants bows and a quiver of arrows.
It was the equipment outlined and intructed on how to make în the Slayer Code, one that you needed for hunting goblins.
It looked ugly and cheap.
But it was functional!
" And i suppose you are coming as well?"
"Yes. I am not much of a fighter, but I can carry arrows to the archers and help with the wounded. " Cow Girl replied.
" That you can do. And I doubt I could stop you. Everyone that wants to slay goblins follow me. We'll have plenty to kill once nightfalls."
About and your platter the mighty force was now inside Slayer Keep, as the leaders made their plan.
" This goblin army did not use the mountains or the northern forest to move. Otherwise my mîners would have seen them." Dwarf Thane said.
"Neither did they traverse the grassy southern plains, for that was where our caravan was traveling." Elf Chieftan added.
" They used the western plains which is bereaf of tradee routes and villages and even of our own patrols, so as to sneack up on Slayer Keep. I found their tracks by accident, if not they would have suprised us. This is not behaviour tipical of goblins. Which means we are dealing with a Warboss that is knows of how we fight goblins and is planning counters to our anti-goblin strategies."
" What do we do Goblin Slayer-san?"Priestess asked.
" What we always do. Kill all the goblins."
" What is our curent strenght?"
"We have 250 troops of Slayer Keep, along with over 300 adventurers dwarf warriors and elven archers and over 700 armed farmers. "
" More than enough. Here is what we will gonna do
The plâns were made, the Keep prepared, the defenders at their posts and now night and fallen.
And when the moon had risen fully în the sky they came.
" Enemy sighted. " Lizard priest said. " 1.000...2.000...no! 3...3 and a half. 4, 5. Over 5.000 goblins."
At Lizard Priest' s words the blood drained from the faces of the 700 plebians that bas come to aid them.
This war no mere goblin army.
It was the nightmare made flesh.
The one time when Goblins were a threat to all.
The green tide!
WAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!
YES! The Waagh had come to Slayer Keep!
The plebians were now very scared.
The adventurers and other warriors...well.
"Look at all that money!" Female Paladin said.
"First time the gold comes running to me!" Amazon added .
"Plenty of dead goblins to go around!" Dwarf Thain said.
" This is a most fortuis ocasion" Elven Chieftain smiled.
And they all grinned like lunatics.
" No one dies tonight." Goblin Slayer adressed the 700.
"Why? Because there are still goblins în the world. And we will not die untill the last goblin is dead." Goblin Slayer said, not as a statement.
But more as a fact.
Coming from another that would sound crazy.
But since the peasants heard it from him, they believed that with him în charge they could pull it off.
" Death to the goblins!" They shouted as one.
At that Spearman, before he got into position for his part of the plan, stepped în front of the whole army and said:
"This is where we hold them. This is where we fight! This is where THEY DIE!"
"Earn your fame today everyone! Earn plenty of It!" Heavy Warrior added and a great cheer arose.
"Today we win, and TOMMOROW WE FEAST!" Spearman said as another goblin shout war heard over the walls.
WAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!
At that the whole keep's defenders, emboldened by Goblin Slayer, Spearman and Heavy Warrior all shouted back
RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
This war so sudden and so savage that the Goblin Waagh was suprised into Silence and took a step back.
WAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH !
RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
WAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHH!
RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
" I'm starting to get confuzed on which side is supposed to be the goblins " Priestess said în a deadpan voice.
"When în doubt kill everyone that is green , except for Lizard Priest." Goblin Slayer said.
The Siege of Slayer Keep had begun!